Culture & context
About this dish
In Jamaica, Saturday is traditionally soup day. Red peas soup is a filling one-pot meal rather than a light starter, with kidney beans called red peas in Jamaican usage.
Did you know? In Jamaican usage, kidney beans are called red peas, and the finished soup is a full meal rather than a light first course.
Food-safety note
Salted pigtail must be desalted and cooked until tender. Keep the Scotch bonnet whole for flavour with less heat, and do not serve pimento berries or pepper stem.
Equipment needed
- Large heavy stockpot with lid
- Two bowls for soaking peas and pigtail separately
- Colander
- Chef’s knife and cutting board
- Mixing bowl for spinners
- Ladle
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 350 g (2 cups) dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight
- 900 g (2 lb) salted pigtail, cut up and soaked
- 3 litres (12 cups) water, plus more as needed
- 400 ml (1⅔ cups) coconut milk
- 500 g (1 lb) yellow yam, cubed
- 2 medium Irish potatoes, cubed
- 1 medium sweet potato, cubed
- 1 chocho, cubed
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 3 scallions, bruised
- 5 sprigs thyme
- 8 pimento berries
- 1 whole Scotch bonnet
- 120 g (1 cup) flour
- ½ teaspoon salt for spinners
Before the heat
Preparation steps
- Soak separately Soak the red peas and salted pigtail in separate containers so the salt does not season the beans before cooking.
- Desalt the meat Boil and drain the soaked pigtail, then taste a small piece before deciding whether another boil is needed.
- Prepare provisions later Cut the yam, potatoes, chocho and carrot while the peas and pigtail simmer so they do not dry out.
At the stove
Cooking instructions
- Desalt the pigtailDrain the soaked pigtail, cover with fresh water, boil 15 minutes and drain. Repeat if still very salty.
- Cook peas and meatCombine peas, pigtail and water. Simmer 1½–2 hours until both are nearly tender, topping up with boiling water.
- Add provisionsAdd coconut milk, yam, potatoes, sweet potato, chocho, carrot, scallion, thyme, pimento and whole Scotch bonnet. Simmer 25 minutes.
- Make spinnersKnead flour, salt and enough water into a firm dough. Roll small pieces between the palms into slender spinners.
- Finish the soupAdd spinners and simmer 20–25 minutes until cooked and the soup is thick. Remove thyme stems, pimento and Scotch bonnet; taste before adding salt.
Working timeline
- Night before: Soak red peas and salted pigtail separately
- 0:00–20 minutes: Pre-boil and drain the pigtail
- 20 minutes–2 hours: Simmer peas and pigtail until nearly tender
- 2:00–2:25 hours: Add coconut milk, provisions and seasonings
- 2:25–2:50 hours: Add spinners, thicken the soup and season after tasting
Chef’s tips
- Top up with boiling water, not cold water, so the simmer recovers quickly.
- Wait until peas and pigtail are almost tender before adding provisions.
- Taste before adding any salt because pigtail can vary greatly in salinity.
Common mistakes
- Skipping the pigtail desalting step and ending with an inedibly salty pot.
- Adding yam and potatoes too early so they dissolve before the peas are tender.
- Stirring aggressively after the provisions soften and breaking them into the broth.
What to serve with it
- Hard dough bread
- Water crackers
- A simple avocado salad
Storage & reheating
Refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat to a full simmer, adding water because peas and spinners thicken during storage.
Recipe sources
References consulted for this recipe:
Editorial note
Reviewed for Jamaican context by James Dunn, LimeGrid founder — Jamaica.